


Written on my Skin

by thestoriesthatiwrite



Category: The Mortal Instruments Series - Cassandra Clare
Genre: M/M, love is a struggle, might mature later on
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-10-06
Updated: 2017-11-11
Packaged: 2019-01-09 18:02:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 10,024
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12281676
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thestoriesthatiwrite/pseuds/thestoriesthatiwrite
Summary: When your sixteen your body reveals all the lovers you will have in life. For Magnus that meant many, for Alec that meant one. Knowing their fate was one thing, trying to fight it another. Shadowhunters and downworlders, they might share a knowledge of this world, they might occasionally need each other help, but relationships beyond that they were not to be entered. Their names on each other's skin was a very big problem.personal update: I was sick for a long time and I'm kind of out of the story. I'm still recovering and have other story that need picking up as well. It's on Hiatus until I'm better and I've got my TMI mindset on ^^





	1. Chapter 1

Warlocks were half human, and thus like every mundane, on Magnus his skin was written down the names of his lovers. They appeared when he was sixteen, a seemingly endless list of names. Nobody was surprised, warlocks lived long lives, so Magnus was bound to meet many people and love them. For Magnus it was something to hold onto, if he hadn’t met someone yet, there was no way he would die today. The long list made him prone to try out new spells, create new things and jump on every adventure he could fine, but the list also made him sad. Whenever he would meet someone, he knew it wouldn’t last. So when he met Grace, the first name on his list, a part of him already waited for the expected farewell.

He stayed with Grace until her last breath and when she passed away in his arms, he saw that on his left arms her name had been taken of the list. Erased from his skin, but never from his mind. His grieve consumed him and he had begun to hate the names on his skin. All of these names would hurt him, all of them would leave him. All, but the last one and he had no idea which of those name that even was. When he met the second name, it was nothing like the first. He was a man, for starters, and Magnus had simply fallen out of love with him after a few months. These types of love he could handle. And so Magnus went through life, never looking for a name, but trusting they would come to him. He had stopped worrying how long every relationship would last and how it would come to an end. He wanted to enjoy them all, so he could remember them, cherish them even after they were long gone.

In the early 1900’s he had gone through most of his list. Only four names had remained. Camille Belcourt on his left wrist, Woolsey Scott on sole of his feet, Etta Moore behind his ear and Alexander lightwood on his chest. It was during his years with Camille that he actively got to know shadowhunters. He had heard of them and their hatred for downworlders, but he had always stayed as far away from them as possible. Will Herondale had put a stop to it. It was also in those moments, that he encountered his first Lightwood. To say he was shocked was an understatement. A warlock falling for a shadowhunter. It was unheard of. Shadowhunters and downworlders they didn’t mix. Sure Will was pretty and some had turned out to be nice, but to date them? Unthinkable. In fact doing so could be a straight ticket to hell for both of them.  
And yet Alexander Lightwood stood there on his chest. He had asked Gideon if he knew an Alexander, but it would appear this boy had yet to be born.

Camille’s name disappeared shortly after. With Camille being a vampire, he had assumed it could take centuries before he would fall in love with anyone else, he had counted on it for he loved her strongly. And even if they did break up for a short while, they could also get back together they were immortal after all, but when Magnus broke things of, her name got completely erased. Camille would never be back and where he wasn’t sure he would consider Woolsey a romantic partner, that too passed and thus his name was erased. He remained with only two names left. Two lovers were all he had left and one of them, he knew, was mortal and a disaster in the making. He was running out of lovers but what dawned on him the most, he was running out of time.  

In 1938 he met Etta. He loved her so much, he had offered her immortality, but she had declined. At most they would have a lifetime, or she would eventually want a more normal life and chose a mundane man to settle down with. When she chose to end it , her name disappeared. He looked in the mirror after she had left and starred at the last name left. The only name. His last lover. A shadowhunter named Alexander Lightwood and on the 12th of September 1989 he received word that at last his end was near. The boy had been born.


	2. Chapter 2

Alec didn’t know who was more excited about his sixteenth birthday, Jace or Izzy. Turning sixteen was a very big deal, everyone knew that. On that day the names of your lovers would appear on your skin. Alec still thanked the Angel that those names were invisible to others. Imagine if the whole world knew who you would be kissing someday.

Alec dreaded his birthday, he didn’t want that reveal to ever happen, cause what if there was no name. It would mean you would die before you would even have found love. Shadowhunters died young and it happened more often than he liked to remember that shadowhunters found no name on their skin. Alec would prefer anything, any name over no name at all. He also wanted a name because it meant one day he would no longer be in love with Jace. That would be the biggest relief of them all. He didn’t want these feelings for his Parabatai. Izzy had joked that maybe Alec would turn into a heartbreaker and his whole body would be full of names. But that sounded more like Jace in his ears, he had no doubt his body would be full. Alec didn’t believe he was attractive enough or amazing enough to be given many lovers. And he wasn’t sure he wanted them either. One name was enough, one person to love forever.

He had deliberately taken a shower at midnight, locked himself in the bathroom and waited for the clock to ring in the new day. He felt a little uncomfortable starring at himself naked in the mirror, but it gave the best view of his body. His watch struck twelve times and his skin started itching. Something was happening. He looked in the mirror and there it was. On his right collarbone written in thick black letters; Magnus Bane.

Magnus Bane. That didn’t sound like a shadowhunters’s name. Would Alec fall in love with a mundane? He had heard the name Bane before, but he couldn’t remember where. It could have been outside on mission. He had to find this mundane though, he would still be young enough hopefully to be converted to a shadowhunter.   
He checked his body some more trying to see if maybe there was another name, but came empty handed. One name. It was all he had prayed for and Raziel had answered.

He opened the door into his bedroom and was faced with two persons dangling across his bed. “And?” Izzy jumped up. “How many?”

Alec wasn’t sure he wanted to say anything until he had found this Magnus. “There’s a name. That is all that matters. I’m not loveless.”

“Told you not to worry.” Jace patted him on the back. “Happy Birthday brother.”

“Thank you.” Alec replied with a grin. He was relieved, so relieved. One day he could be a real brother to Jace, cause he had Magnus Bane.

“Can we have a name?” Izzy pushed.

Alec chocked his head, “I’ll tell you once I have found this person.”

“Oh, so it’s someone you don’t know yet. That is very handy clue. Poor Mary Haywalker though, she has this massive crush on you.”

Alec was not aware of that, Mary was sweet and all but never in a million years would he have guessed it. “There is no Mary on my skin.” He simply replied. There was no girl on skin to begin with.

The rest of his birthday was like any other day, except with presents. His parents gave him a new bow, Izzy and Jace had taken him out to dinner and right now it was time for training. In the evenings Alec would train with Hodge, one-on-one combats. He had done pretty well today, though he felt he was getting an easier treatment.

“Hey Hodge” Alec started. The older men smiled and nodded. “How do you find a mundane?”

He chuckled and put down his bottle of water. “Not a shadowhunters’s name on your skin?”

Alec shook his head, “No, not one I’ve ever heard of anyway.”

“You don’t find them Alec, you just meet them one day.” Hodge was a shadowhunter without a name. Alec often wondered if it made the man sad, but he never asked. “I just thought, if I find them sooner I can make them a shadowhunter.”

“I understand that is your wish, but there are a lot of mundanes in the world, even if you search you might not find them until the moment is right.” Hodge placed a hand on his shoulder. “Have a little faith.”

“I guess I can wait. After all, they are waiting for me.” Alec reasoned. “Somewhere someone might be thinking about me, wondering who I am, where I am.” The thought made him smile. “Maybe they are just as happy as I am that there is a name on their skin.”

“Well, personally speaking, though I am very biased, that person has no idea how lucky she will be.”

“Thank you.” Alec smiled. He was left on his own and sat down on the floor. Somewhere, Magnus Bane, was waiting for him. The one love of his life. Was he currently watching the moon rise or set? Brushing his brown hair, blond hair or black? Alec wished he knew and he hoped he would get to find out soon.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> two chapters today, because I wanted to show you the start of Alec his discover as well. Stay tuned for more! Thanks for reading <3


	3. Chapter 3

He was definitely not having his day. His apartment was covered in mucus when the demon he had summoned for a client accidently exploded, then after nagging for a good ten minutes he had finally got Ragnor to come over to help clean up the mess, cause he kept failing himself and to make matters worse he had turned his friend into a toad. He was going for a simple change of furniture but he must has misspoken some words. It took him nearly two hours to undo. For a second there he though the man would be a toad for ever. Like Church the warlock cat of the institute. Magnus sighed and sat down. “I’m sorry. Everything is going wrong today.” He apologized.

“I’ve noticed.” Ragnor responded. “Now, I’ve always said you would get me killed one day, I didn’t think you would actively start trying though.”

Magnus laughed at that, “Funny, but there’s no way you’re not dying yet, you’ve probably got a hundred more names written on your skin.” Magnus semi-joked. They never talked about names. Nobody really did in their circle, but Magnus had made a habit out of it. He didn’t want to know if his friends would die before him or when their time was coming. But now he figured, considering they would appear to outlive him, he could breech the topic. He needed someone to know, and he knew he could tell his oldest friend anything, even if Ragnor sometimes begged him to not be dragged into everything by him.  

It was silent for a while and then his friend turned to look at him “You have no names left?” Ragnor asked worriedly. “Is that it? Did the last name disappeared today. Is that why your magic isn’t working properly? I’ve never seen you like this, so something big must have happened. Are you unwritten now?”

Magnus should have seen this coming, “No. You needn’t worry about that. I’m not dying yet.”

He felt an invisible hand slap the back of his head, “Don’t scare me like that.” Ragnor scolded him.

He rubbed his head a little where the slap had landed, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean too. A name on my skin turned sixteen today.” He confessed.

“Ah, and you are wondering whether you should just go and see this person. Clearly you already know where they are. Though for you to be all out of sorts about one kid…”

Magnus wasn’t sure how much he should say. He knew not to mention that Alexander was a Shadowhunter, that had to remain a secret. Magnus had even considered moving, in fact maybe he still should. Postpone them meeting for as long as possible. Ah, but fate was fate. He could run, he could hide, Alexander would find him. “I don’t want to see this person, but he might be coming for me soon.”

“Why don’t you want to see him?” Ragnor still looked worried.

Magnus leaned back in his chair. “Do you really want to know?”

Ragnor stayed silent, looking at the burning wood in the hearth, only moving to take a sip of wine. There was no tension in the silence, but there was a sadness in the air. “It’s the last one, isn’t it?” He finally spoke.

Magnus didn’t look at him, “Yes.” He simply said. His own fragility caught him by surprise. The very last one before he would die.

“That’s okay. Maybe it’s vampire and you will be together for 400 years.”

“It’s not. He’s mortal. I have a lifetime and then maybe some more years and that is it. Best case scenario.” Magnus looked at his friend. “Pretty soon, you will have to go on adventures without me.”

“No.” Ragnor shook his head lightly. “I’m not sure that will be the case.”

“You only have a few names left too.” Magnus asked, though he wasn’t sure he wanted to know the answer. In his mind, all his friends would live long enough to visit planets and meet aliens.

“Magnus, the last name on my skin disappeared about 35 years ago. When Ally died.”

Magnus felt his heart drop in his chest and a small pang of pain, fear and anger rise. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because I didn’t want you to worry about me every time I walk out the door.” Ragnor answered back. “It’s okay. I have made my peace with it.”

“Yeah. Cause you’re not the one left behind, asshole. Catarina, Raphael and me, we are the ones stuck with your death on our minds.”

Ragnor smiled, “It’s the perfect ending.”

“I hate you.” Magnus didn’t mean it, but right now he wished he did.

“I hate you more.” Ragnor patted his leg. “So, it’s the last one. You’ve always known one day this would happen. There is always a last one. Don’t be sad about. This just means you have to make sure you get the most out of it. So that by the end you can honestly say that you have lived a good life.”

Magnus knew his friend would not be saying these things if he knew the name, but he did want to die feeling like he had lived a good life, he just wasn’t sure how Alexander fitted into that picture. “At least you won’t have to be without me for too long.” He tried to joke.

Ragnor laughed. “Oh man, even in death. You just have to follow me. Don’t you?”

Magnus couldn’t help but smile. “Promise me something.”

“No.”

“Ragnor!”

“I never make promises. I would only end up breaking them.” Ragnor got up from his seat. “Don’t tell the others. I don’t want them to treat every visit like it could be my last.”

Magnus nodded. “So, do you think you can help me redecorate?” It was time for a new topic. They were both on their way out, it was time to have fun. It’s what they do best in the end. Have fun and create havoc.

“For a free dinner and your bottle of Chateau Margaux from 1875, yeah. I should be able to help you out today.”

Magnus got up. “Only if you will drink it with me and we’re not eating sushi, I had sushi yesterday.”

“Deal.” The man smiled. Magnus couldn’t imagine a day where Ragnor was no longer there and he hated that he knew those days was coming, he just didn’t know when. Maybe being down to his last name was a blessing, he wouldn’t have to be without his friend for long.


	4. Chapter 4

“Izzy, can you stop clicking your pen?” He asked. They were currently in Jace’s room. Jace was turning sixteen tomorrow, or more precisely in two minutes.

“I bet you twenty bucks, he has more than twenty names.” She directed at him.

“Thirty bucks and it’ll be less.” He raised. Twenty was too much, even if Jace was the most popular shadowhunter teenager alive, Jace didn’t take lovers fast. One night stands, sure. Lovers? No.   
Alec looked at his collarbone again. It had been months and he had not found Magnus yet. He thought about him every day, the longer it took, the more he wished each day it would happen. He wanted to make the most out of their time together.

“Alec?” Izzy asked, “Tell me his name?”

“No.” Alec answered as always. “I already told you it was a man and one we didn’t know. That is all you are getting.” He already felt like he had overshared on that information to begin with. Izzy wasn't the best person to be telling secrets too. 

She pouted. “Well, then I’m not telling you mine.”

“I don’t want to know yours.” Alec said honestly. He really didn’t. He had no desires to know what type of men his little sister would be taking into her bed. That was too much information.

She laughed. “Well, now I will just tell you all of them.”

Alec had no doubt when her day would come she would seeing her skin with several names on it. Boys loved Izzy. Everywhere she went heads turn, just like Jace was able to turn heads. Alec was the lacking person in their trio, but he was happy about that. Spotlights did not agree with him. Unlike them, he didn’t care about the clothes he wore, he just wanted them to fit right, so he could kill demons, protect humans and protect his parabatai and his sister from their own reckless behaviour at times. He did consider that maybe he should try looking more fashionable for Magnus, but shouldn’t Magnus love him the way he is, not for who he is trying to be. If Alec and Magnus were supposed to be true love, he had to fall in love with all of him and that included Alec’s broken jeans, worn out sweaters and his hair that didn’t always bounce right. Otherwise it would be a short relationship and Magnus Bane nothing but a lover, that in the end couldn’t love all of him. He shook his head. No, whoever Magnus was, Alec desperately believed it would be a love to remember.

“What is taking him so long?”

“It’s still a minute Izzy. You cannot rush time any faster. Relax even after midnight, we’ll be here for a while, he might want to memorize all the names first.”

“Let me do your nails, if we have to wait I need something to do.” Izzy lacked patience, Alec figured maybe one day the Silent Brothers would create a rune for it.

“Do you have to?” He didn’t get an answer as much as pull of his hand. “Since you asked so nicely, I guess I’ll go with black.”

“Everything about you is black. You need some colour, Alec.” She commented, but she already pulled the black bottle from her purse. She clearly saw this coming.

“I have colour.”

“Washed out Black, that looks more grey now, is not a colour.” He felt the brush being swept across his thumb. “You would look great in a red blouse, or a blue one. We should go shopping.”

“No.” Alec did not want to go shopping. “I’m good, thank you.”

She shrugged, “Suit yourself then.”

The door of the bathroom opened and Jace walked out. Alec his hand was released as they both got up. “And?” Alec asked him. Though there was something of about Jace. He wasn’t beaming with delight for starters.

“How many hearts will you break?” Izzy asked him.

“Loads.” Jace answered back, “One of them being yours.”

Alec looked to Izzy and back to Jace, “She is on your skin?” He was baffled. He did not see that coming. Izzy and Jace as lovers was just all kinds of wrong. Maybe Jace agreed, since he seemed rather unhappy as well.

“What?” Jace looked rather taken aback. “No. She's not on my skin.”

“Then how can you break my heart.” Izzy wanted to know and so did Alec.

“I only have one name.” He hung down his head. “I’m going to die young.”

Alec swallowed, it felt like a massive blow was dealt out and he had trouble breathing. Jace, his parabatai, the one he was closer to than anyone on this world, he was going to die young. And most likely soon. This wasn’t fair. This was not right. Alec had one name, that was alright, but not Jace. “Are you sure?” He had to ask. “Did you check every part, like even between your toes.”

“I checked everywhere, I doublechecked.” Jace sat down on his bed. And tried to laugh but couldn’t.

Alec looked at his sister, who looked like she wanted to cry. As if Jace had already died. “What’s her name?” Alec could fix this, he had to be able to fix this. “Do we know her?”

“No. And the name makes no sense either. Clary Fairchild.”

“There are no Fairchilds anymore,” Izzy commented.

“There is Jocelyn, she was never found though. It’s possible that she has a daughter, I guess.” Alec wouldn’t rule it out. “We cannot tell anyone though. The clave would go looking for her. We need to keep you as far away from her as possible.”

“Fate is fate, Alec. I will meet her soon, fall in love with her and after a few months it’ll be over and I will be dead.”

“Don’t say that.” Alec didn’t want to hear it. “Meeting her that might be fate, but you can decide on whether or not to hop into bed with her.”

“So I don’t sleep with her right away. Win me a couple of months. Unless this girl can make me believe monogamy is the way to go… it doesn’t matter.”

“It matters to me.” Alec directed at him, almost shouting “You will not die before me. That is unacceptable. I am your parabatai you cannot leave me behind so casually. It matters.”

Jace got up and pulled him into a hug. “I’m sorry. I know it matters. I would die inside without you. If you died first.”

Alec’s heart was beating too fast for comfort, he couldn’t lose Jace. He just couldn’t. He was the one that always protected him, saved his ass from demons.. Jace’s death only meant one thing, one day Alec would fail. When this girl would appear she would leave him powerless, helpless. He hadn’t even met her yet but he hated her guts already. Jace was not dying, not on his watch.

He pushed himself away from the hug, “We tell no one, and when we run into her. We prevent that from happening again as long as we can. We can do this. We just need plans. Good plans. Multiple plans.”

“Maybe you will die together.” Izzy suddenly pointed out. Alec and Jace both turned to look at her. “You both have one name. Did you ever think that is because maybe you both don’t make it back one day from a mission.”

Alec had not considered that. He had not even given Magnus a thought in the last few minutes. “Then I guess we need a plan for Alec too.” Jace commented.

“I don’t need a plan until this person surfaces. You need a plan now, cause this girl is coming soon. Let’s be real. She’ll probably see your name in a few weeks or months tops.”

“Good point. Let’s just make a plan.” Izzy decided. “because I’m not losing both of you.”

Alec leaned against the pillar of the bed, Alec hadn’t minded the idea of dying young. He always knew it was an option. He had wanted Magnus to be a lifetime love, because he wanted to know what a love like that would feel like, not because it meant he would turn grey one day. Shadowhunters were mortal. But Jace, Izzy, Max, they were not supposed to die young. It was his job to make sure they would live on. Would he die with Jace by his side? Or would he simply fail? Alec dreaded both options. He would fix this. There had to be a way and Alec would find it.


	5. Chapter 5

“Okay! As you can see a demon has been spotted in Brooklyn. We have reason to believe he will make a move tonight at Pandemonium.” Hodge explained. Alec, Izzy and Jace were seated in the living room. “It’s a low class demon. Shouldn’t be all too much trouble.”

“We’ll go in glamoured. I can lure the demon in. I have just the perfect dress for that.” Izzy had the perfect dress for every occasion, Alec was well aware of that.

“Quick kill.” Jace beamed. “No problem.”

Alec looked at him. It had been a year and a half since his sixteenth birthday and they had yet to encounter Clary Fairchild. They were extra careful though, Jace only slept with girls he knew. There was no guarantee that Clary wouldn’t be hiding under an alias. It was one rule of their plan and so far it had worked. Though Alec got nervous every time they went out into the public. Would they accidently run into this girl? He had to admit, he was more worried about this girl than about Magnus. Magnus rarely entered his mind when they were out surrounded by mundanes. Only in the safety of his own room did he allow himself to think about his mysterious future lover.

“The club opens at 10AM. So you should keep it under surveillance till then. The Demon should show up soon enough to make his move. He is probably disguised as a mundane, but that should prove no problem.” Hodge continued. “Just don’t kill him in plain sight. We don’t want to go to the warlocks for another retcon round.”

Hodge was referring to a job they had done in Manhattan. Some mundanes had seen the demon after it had been killed. Some warlock had to be called to help clean up their mess. Alec knew shadowhunters hated owning warlocks favours or even needing their help. Downworlders were considered lesser being, it reflected poorly upon your family and your abilities as a shadowhunter if you ran to them for help too often.

“I’ll make sure it doesn’t happen again.” Alec commented. They would stay well clear of downworlders. The Lightwood name was already tarnished enough.

Little before 10PM, they were already inside the club. The floor was still sticky from last night and the only persons in the room where a DJ and some personnel. With their glamour they were invisible to them. They would take the demon to the storage. It would be as good a place as any to kill it. The first people came in, dressed in a fashion style Alec didn’t understand. Bright colours, mismatching tops and trousers, it looked like what Alec imagined circus personnel to look like. Not that he had ever seen circus people in real life, but Max had this comic book with them in it.   
It took a while for the room to fill up, Izzy and Jace had taken turns scouting through the crowds, while Alec screened the room from behind the DJ. Having a clear overview. His runes protected his ears from the loud blasts of the boxes and his hawk like eyesight came in handy. It’s why archery was his preferred fighting element. But with the sharp sight rune, his sight was even better. After what felt like hours, Alec spotted a blue haired boy enter the club. The glamour couldn’t fool him. The glow of his skin still showed. it wasn't much, he doubted a mundane could even tell there was slight shade radiating of the boy to begin with. He was trained it see it though. 

He jumped down. “He’s here.” He told Jace. “Blue hair, glowing skin.”

“Let’s go then. Time to put this demon to sleep for good.” He followed Jace through the crowd whilst looking around him to spot Isabelle. Last he had seen her she was making idle chat with a werewolf. Demons were bad news for them too. When he finally saw her, she was already making eyes at the demon. Her white dress proving the perfect dress to lure him. Like a huntress and a prey. 

They successfully had lured the demon away from the crowd towards the storage room. Jace was doing his usual bragging speech. He really did enjoy hearing himself talk. Alec just wanted to get it over with. “Jace. The night is not getting any younger.”

“I’m just citing the thing his rights.” Jace snickered. “But I guess being a demon and all, he doesn’t have any.”

The demon bared his teeth, as sharp as a newly crafted blades. “Just do it. I am only the beginning.”

“That is what the last one said too. You really need to get your story straight.” Jace remarked back. “Ah well…. You're right, your time is up.” Jace pulled out his blade “Michael.” He summoned it and then he stabbed the boy.

Alec's necked almost snapped, such was the force in which he had looked behind him as the sound of a piercing scream hit his ears. A girl had seen them, had seen everything. A mundane with the sight. Shit! She would be a problem. They had to take her to the institute those were the rules. He looked at Jace, whose eyes were fixated on the girl, so Alec moved towards her.

“Don’t be scared.” He told her. “That was a demon, we are shadowhunters and we protect mankind.” Not that most mundanes believed in these things but honesty was the best policy.

The girl backed further away from her until her back hit the wall. “Stay away.” She shouted. She probably meant it to come out as brave. But the terror in her eyes gave her away.

“My name is Alec Lightwood. What’s your name? I promise we have no intention to hurt you.” He smiled at her, though she wasn’t relaxing much. “Will you give me your name?”

She looked at him and then passed him to where Jace and Izzy were, “My name is Clary.” She whispered softly.

By the Angel, Alec thought. He swallowed and smiled before cornering her. “Forgive me.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank for all the lovely comments so far. It's a complicated concept and story, but I hope the more you read the more you understand why everyone acts the way they do.


	6. Chapter 6

“Izzy!” He beckoned his sister. “Izzy!”

His sister left Jace with the remains of the demon and came to him, “what?” She asked. When she saw the girl, she frowned. “She fainted?” Izzy wondered.

“I knocked her unconscious.” Alec explained. “I had too. Her name is Clary.”

Izzy eyes widened. “As in Jace’s Clary.”

“Most likely, yes. She’s not a mundane with the sight, she’s Jocelyn’s daughter. Look at her orange hair.” Alec whispered. “Now, here’s the plan. We erase her memory and Jace’s. I will just have to knock him unconscious too.”

“He never stays unconscious for long though.” Izzy reasoned.

“I know. Which is why I won’t do it till we are closer to a warlock.” Alec couldn’t believe they had to go see a warlock. He was so sure they would not need one tonight. “Which one do mum and dad use?”

“I don’t know. I could ask the werewolf girl if she knows someone.” Izzy offered.

“Good thinking. Go, get me an address. Any address will do. This is Jace his life.” Izzy nodded. She understood the importance of erasing tonight.

“Where is she going?” Jace asked.

“To make sure there aren’t more.” Alec lied. “We need to take this girl outside and then take her – “

“- to the institute.” Jace finished.

“Yes.” Alec nodded. He would just have to knock out Jace as soon as his parabatai realised they weren’t going in the right direction. He couldn’t risk one look, one type of eye contact to allow Jace to want to find this girl again.

“She fainted?” Jace asked. Kneeling to brush back a lock of her orange hair.

“Yeah, it was probably a bit too gory for her.” Alec would lie through his teeth to protect him.

Izzy walked back, a small piece of paper in her hand. “Ready?” She directed at him.

“Yeah, Jace can you carry her.” He asked. He needed to have his hands free to guide Jace.

“She’s quite small.” Jace commented as he lifted her.

Damn it, Alec thought. He’s already falling for her. Or at least he liked her looks enough. Alec didn’t think she looked all that special, but then to him all girls weren’t very appealing, so he maybe wasn’t the best judge in the room.

They left the club around midnight, Izzy leading the way. Alec had no idea where they were going, but that did not matter. At the bridge she went left. “The institute is that way.” Jace commented.

“I know. I just need to drop something of first, it’s not much further.” Izzy explained, “It’s this note.” She held up the paper with the address on it. “As a favour to the werewolf for helping us scout for the demon.”

Alec nodded, he was so glad they both knew how to lie and that Jace expected everyone to lie to him but not them. The betrayal would be worth it, Alec figured. Besides, he would never know.

Izzy came to an hold at a rather shabby looking building, she was about to push the button, when the door opened automatically, one of the other residences came out. They didn’t appear to be able to see them, but Izzy quickly positioned her foot to keep the door open. “Second floor.” She directed.

“All this trouble for a note.” Jace scoffed. “that must be one hell of an important note, cause you know this girl isn’t getting lighter on it.”

“Awe, poor Jace. Too much for your muscles to handle. And here I thought you were perfect.” Izzy mocked him, Alec snickered at the remark. “Relax. You won’t have to carry her for much longer.” True, not if this warlock was in this building. Though shouldn’t a warlock be living in something more prestigious. This building looked like only the very poor and maybe people on drugs would consider it. Every step of the stairs creaked as they walked upstairs.

“Are you sure there is a warlock in this building?” Alec asked.

“Yeah. The High warlock of Brooklyn.” Izzy commented.

“Well, if he is a high warlock he has to be good.” Jace reasoned. “What do they need him for?”

“A job.” Izzy just replied. “Don’t be noisy.”

Alec knocked on the door twice and after a minute the door opened. In front of him was a man, well a warlock. His demon mark was hard to miss. He had never seen a man with cat eyes before but they were rather beautiful. Alec pushed the thought away. “We are terribly sorry to bother you, but we need your help.”

“Who let you in?” The man responded back.

“The door was open.” Alec replied. “Anyway. Could you take the girl?”

Jace looked at him confused and Alec just nodded, the man took the girl from him though with a lot of confusion. Then as rehearsed over and over in his head. Alec hit Jace in the neck. There is special bone you can hit that immediately knocks you out. Jace fell down instantly. The warlock was on his edge now.

“Like we said. We need your help.” Izzy smiled.

“My help?”

“Yes. We need you to wipe their memories.” Alec explained.

“It’ll cost you.” He commented. Alec hadn’t expected otherwise.

“No it won’t.” Izzy walked passed them. “There’s a demon in your living room. You are breaking clave laws. We will keep your secret, and you will help us out free of charge.”

Alec really would have preferred the paying over blackmail but there would appear to be a demon in the living room. Even if they paid him, they would have to report him. So an exchange seemed only fitting.

“Fine. Shadowhunters. Make yourself at home. I guess. It shouldn’t take too long.” The warlock was clearly pissed and Alec couldn’t blame him. Though it was his own fault, doing illegal things was bound to get you into trouble at some point.

The doorbell rang. “Your client, I presume.” Izzy walked back. “I will handle it.”

“You’re going to arrest him.” Magnus nodded.

“The bargain only applies to you.” She simply stated back. Clients were just as guilty in the eyes of the clave, so they had to arrest him. Even if nothing had happened yet. The law is the law and law is hard.

She walked away and left Alec alone with the man, the demon and two unconscious people. The warlock was eyeing him up but turned around. “Place them on the couch.” He ordered, still agitated. He undid the spell and the demon disappeared. Alec did as asked and made no attempt to hold conversation while they waited. The appartment on the inside looked far more luxurious than the outside could ever give away. It was also significantly bigger in size. The benefits on magic, Alec mused.

“So you are Herondales?” The warlock asked, breaking the silence. “Didn’t think there were any young ones left.”

“Herondales?” Alec replied confused, what gave him that idea? “No, we're not Herondales. We’re Lightwoods. From the institute. I’m Alec. Well Alexander actually but nobody calls me that.” The man looked at him with his mouth slightly agape as if he had said something wrong. “Everything okay?” He asked.

“Fine. I will be right back. I need to get something.” He answered and promptly left the room. 


	7. Chapter 7

“Herondale?” the boy replied. “No, we’re not Herondales. We’re Lightwoods. From the institute. I’m Alec. Well Alexander actually but nobody calls me that.” Oh GOD. Magnus looked at the boy, that was him. He was here. The last name on his skin, his last lover. “Everything okay?” He asked. 

Magnus couldn’t give anything away, clearly this boy had no idea who he was. Had Magnus introduced himself yet? “Fine. I will be right back. I need to get something.” He answered and quickly left the room. He had walked into his own bedroom and was heavily pacing around. There was a panic in his chest he had never felt before. His last lover was here. In his living room. “Calm down. Calm the fuck down.” He ordered himself. When that didn’t work, he picked up the phone and dialled three. 

“Yes?” A cranky voice picked up on the other side.

“He’s here.” Magnus said. “My last name. He is here. Sitting in my living room. Here. Right now. Right here. I’m going to die.” He was being overdramatic, but he had gotten so used to his immortality, that the idea of mortality frightened him. The knowledge that he might not see what the world would look like in a hunderd years from now. It just all hit him. 

“Is he pretty?” Ragnor asked. 

“Yes.” Magnus answered back, “He’s exactly my type. That’s not the problem. He’s here. Did you not hear me?”

“Yes, I heard you. At best you have a few 100 years left. Why are telling me, go spend some of those years with the boy in your living room.”

“I, I can’t.” Magnus objected. “I probably should have mentioned this sooner, but I didn't want to worry you, in case you'd die before I even met him. But his name is Alexander Lightwood, as in shadowhunter Lightwood.” There was a silence on the other side of the phone. “Ragnor.”

“Are you sure?” The man asked. 

“Positive. There are no mundanes with the last name Lightwood.” 

“There has to be a mistake. Shadowhunters don’t appear on the skin of downworlders, that goes against the very idea of nature.”

“I know. Not to mention, the clave will kill us both if we ever acted upon it.”

“No! Magnus, you must not act upon it. Promise me, you will not act upon it. The two of you will create a war if that happens. You either need to kill him or erase his memory and disappear. But you two cannot happen. It can never happen. And you cannot tell another living soul about that name of your skin. You would be shunned from this world, lynched by the other downworlders. I will keep your secret, and we will never talk about it again. Do you understand?”

“You think I didn’t already know everything you just said. Why do you think I was so off my game when he turned sixteen. I know this is a disaster in the making, but fate has brought him here. ”

“Then get rid of him as fast as possible and move and erase his memory. He cannot come looking for you. And you better pray he never told a soul your name.”

Magnus could do the erasing part. He was already erasing two, he could make it three, no four he would have to take the other as well. “I will erase their memory, see if it buys me some time.” 

“Let me know if does, call me if he appears again.” Ragnor answered and then hung up. Bastard never said goodbye over the phone. 

Magnus looked in the mirror, flicked his fingers for a new layer of make-up and walked back into the room. “So, memory erasing. I can do that.” 

The boy was still seated in the same spot. There was something about him, which well obviously there was. He was supposed to fall in love with this boy. “Yeah. I’m sorry about the blackmailing part. It’s just very important that you do this for us.” 

Oh, god. A nice shadowhunter. Why couldn’t he be a dick? “Just the whole night or the whole day?”

“I don’t know, whatever is better. I just need to make sure they don’t remember each other.” The boy confessed. Magnus his interest was piqued at this.

“Why not?” He couldn’t help but ask.

“Jace, that’s my parabatai lying on the couch there.” He was nervous, Magnus realised. Socially awkward but in an endearing way. “he only has one name and she’s it. So he needs to forget about her, so he can live longer.”

“You don’t think they will live happily ever after.” One name shadowhunters were not out of the norm. 

“He doesn’t believe in monogamy and he thinks true love is a fairy-tale story people tell themselves to believe they are happy. So, we are pretty sure about the dying young outcome.” 

“And leave you behind.” Magnus figured there was a chance Alexander had more names on his skin, than just his. The shadowhunters wouldn't kill their own if Alexander was of worth to them, but they would have no problem killing him. 

“I don’t think so. Don’t get me wrong, maybe he does. I only have one name as well.” There was a sadness in his voice. “I’m either going to die young or be dead inside for the rest of my life as I grow old. I’d rather not do any of them.”

“The parabatai curse. One dies, a part of you dies too. I’ve seen it.” Magnus wasn’t sure why he was telling this kid these things. He was letting his guard down. Maybe because he was going to erase his mind anyway. Might as well see what sort of boy this is.

“He still has time though, I haven’t met my person yet.” He stared at his hands. “But it’s okay, cause when I meet that person, it’ll be magical.” There was this hope in his eyes and in his voice. “at least I hope so. I'm not sure why I'm telling you this.” 

Damn, he was cute like this, but they were doomed. They would get each other killed. If only he knew, he wouldn’t be so hopeful about them meeting. “I'm easy to talk to. But, I'm sure it will be magical.” He stated, he couldn’t let his thought slip out. And it wasn’t a lie, tonight would include magic. 

“I bet it’s weird. You’re immortal. You have lots of names on your skin."Alec pointed out. He stopped and looked at him. "Though I guess even you at some point only have one left. For you it’s like a countdown to your own end. Like a reminder that even though you can’t die from aging, you are supposed to be immortal, your life isn’t endless." Magnus felt like the boy had seen straight through him, even with the extra make-up and the act he was putting on. "Where to us, it just means... you know if you will have children before you die. That is what matters. Keeping the bloodline alive.” Alec frowned. “Doesn’t sound very romantic when said like that.” 

“No, it doesn’t.” Magnus agreed. “You haven’t tried to find this person?” Clearly Alec hadn’t or he would have met the boy sooner. If he knew the name on his skin belonged to a Warlock, Magnus doubted Alec would have come today, even if desperate. 

“I was advised to let fate run its course.” He answered. “Not that I mind. Keeping Jace alive takes up a lot of time.” 

“Well, I’m here to help out with that.” Magnus smiled at him. 

Alec looked at the golden haired boy. “Thank you.” He turned to look at him, “You have no idea, how much you are helping us out. I know we can only stretch it so far, but…”

“Time gained it time won.” Magnus finished nodding his head. That was what he was doing. He was erasing himself from Alec’s mind to gain more time. 

“Do you get this often?” Alec asked. “You must. There are bound to be a lot of people in the world that want to prolong their lives.”

“You’d think. But it’s not as frequent as one would think. It happens though, you are definitely not the first.” Magnus erased memories at least once a month. 

“People and their fear of dying.” He reasoned. 

“You’re not scared?”

Alec shook his head, “No. We’re shadowhunters, we’re soldiers. Only 60% of us make it till 20 years old. Turning 60 is a big achievement. My grandparents are dead, most shadowhunters don’t have grandparents anymore by the time they are old enough to fight themselves. We would make lousy soldiers if we were afraid to die. It's basically our job to fight and lay down are lives to keep the world save.”

“And yet you are scared for him.”

“He’s my parabatai. It’s my job to keep him safe. I keep everyone safe.”

“And when he dies, it’s because you will fail.” Alec nodded. Magnus felt bad for the boy. So much pressure on those very finely muscular shoulders, that can’t be easy though. “Maybe you are nowhere near when it happens.” He tried to reason. He wanted to make him feel better. 

“I always go with him. I don’t plan on stopping.” 

“But what if you meet your person and you go on date. You’re going to bring him along every single time.” Magnus had a hard time imagining those dates would be fun. For them it would be safer, but Alec was clueless of it now.

The boy seemed to think it over. “Well, I guess it’s a good thing, I haven’t met this person yet then.”

Magnus forced a smile on his face. “I guess it is.”

The younger sister walked into the room again. “Alright, I'm back. Have you even started yet?” She directed at him. 

“I was just about to begin.” He answered with a grin.


	8. Chapter 8

“Okay! As you can see a demon has been spotted in Central park. We have reason to believe he will make a move tonight during the Eclipse.” Hodge explained. Alec, Izzy and Jace were seated in the living room. “It’s a low class demon. Shouldn’t be all too much trouble. The last one was dealt with right.”

“We’ll go in glamoured. I can lure the demon in. I have just the perfect dress for that.” Izzy had the perfect dress for every occasion.

“Same one as yesterday?” Alec asked.

“Different one. This one has sleeves.” Izzy explained.

“So another quick kill.” Jace beamed. “No problem.”

“The eclipse is happening at 7PM. So you should keep the park under surveillance before and afterwards. The demon is probably disguised as a mundane, but that should prove no problem.” Hodge continued. “Just don’t kill him in plain sight. Lure him away from the mundanes, before you act. Like Yesterday.”

“Don’t worry I won’t let anything go wrong. We’re the best.” Jace commented.

“Yes, you are a good team.” Hodge smiled encouraging.

“Alright, time to get dressed and mingle with the mundanes of this world.” Izzy jumped up from the couch and left the room. 

Alec didn’t get the fuss over the eclipse, so the moon blocked the sun and it would be dark, big deal. All it meant was that for a few minutes vampires had a moment during the day to take mundanes of the street to feed on them. They had to entrust those lives to other shadowhunters in the city. They were on demon duty today.

There was already quite the gathering, all sorts of different people had come together. Alec even spotted seelies amongst them, such as Meliorn, Isabelle’s current love interest. A downworlder with a shadowhunter was not done. But Isabelle was not interested in him romantically and most of time she used him for his connection and intel. It was risky and if word came out, Isabelle would play the prize for it. However, no matter the warning he gave her, she never listened. Maybe because she still had a name left on her skin, so how could this little physical relationship be the end of her. Alec hated that argument.  Izzy had two names on her skin; Louis BlackStairs, but that ended six months ago and this mundane called Simon Lewis. They had theorized that maybe Alec’s future lover and Simon were friends and they would meet them both together, or through each other. Alec liked the idea of that. Though like with Jace, the lack of names had thrown them a bit. Isabelle wasn’t worried though. She had no intent on falling in love with just anybody. So this Simon Lewis was going to have to work his butt off to gain her approval. Alec pitied the man already. He loved his sister dearly, but she was a high maintenance girl.

They successfully had lured the demon away from the crowd towards a dead-end ally. Jace was doing his usual bragging speech. He really did enjoy hearing himself talk. Alec just wanted to get it over with. “Jace. The night is not getting any younger.”

“I’m just citing the thing his rights.” Jace snickered. “But I guess being a demon and all, he doesn’t have any.”

“Just do it. I am only the beginning.” The demon hissed.

“That is what the last one said too. You really need to get your story straight.” Jace remarked back. “Ah well…. Your right, your time is up.” Jace pulled out his blade “Michael.” He summoned it and then he stabbed the boy.

Alec necked almost snapped, such was the force in which he had looked behind him at the piercing scream. A girl had seen them. Had seen everything. A mundane with the sight. Shit! She would be a problem. They had to take her to the institute those were the rules. Jace was fixated on the girl, so Alec moved towards her. He felt like he had seen her before though.

“Don’t be scared.” He told her. “That was a demon, we protect mankind.” Not that most mundanes believed in these things but honesty was the best policy.

The girl backed further away from him until her back hit the wall. “Stay away.” She shouted. She probably meant it to come out as brave. But the terror in her eyes gave her away.

“My name is Alec Lightwood. What’s your name? I promise we have no intention to hurt you.” He smiled at her, though she wasn’t relaxing much. “Will you give me your name?”

She looked at him and then passed him to where Jace and Izzy were, “My name is Clary.” She whispered softly.

By the Angel, Alec thought. He swallowed and smiled. “Forgive me.” He put his hand behind her neck and slap the right place to knock her out.

“Hey! What do you think you are doing?” He heard a guy say. A brown-haired boy came running their way, his glasses had a few drops of rain stuck to it.

Oh, great! Alec thought, now we’re going to need to involve warlocks for sure. Where did these two come from anyway? “She’s unwell.” He directed at him.

“Don’t worry, you can have her back.” Izzy smiled at the boy.

Alec slowly approached his sister. “That’s Clary Fairchild, so he can’t have her back. We need to erase her memory and Jace’s.” He whispered in her ear.

“What about the boy?” She asked.

“I guess we have to erase his too.” Alec sighed. Going to a warlock was exactly what was not supposed to happen.

“I’ll go see if I can find Meliorn, he might know of a Warlock.” Isabelle suggested, she walked passed the boy, flicking her hair. “Don’t go anywhere, handsome.”

The boy seemed clearly flustered, Alec felt like he should warn him, he’s not the first and won’t be the last to feel that way.

“Where is she going?” Jace asked.

“She’ll be right back.” Alec just answered. “You? What’s your name?” He directed at the boy, who was still keeping his distance.

“Simon Lewis.” Alec looked at Jace, Jace too knew what this meant. 

What was Simon Lewis doing here? And how did this guy know Clary Fairchild? Was he another shadowhunter? “Are you her boyfriend?” Alec asked.

“Best friend.” The boy corrected.

Jace had moved closer in the meantime to the girl. “She’s getting cold,” he concluded and pulled off his jacket to cover her. “How long will Izzy be?”

“Not too long, I hope.” Alec answered back. “Then we’ll take her to some warlock.”

“You’re not taking her anywhere. If you take her somewhere I will call the cops.” Simon protested bravely.

“Yeah, you do that.” Jace smirked. “They won’t believe you anyway. And they will never find us.”

Alec glared at him and then back at the boy. “Don’t worry, you will come with us. We can force you or you can follow us on your own free will. But we prefer it if we didn’t have to hurt mundanes.”

“Mundanes?”

“Humans.” Jace corrected.

“Okay?” The boy seemed a little confused, or frightened. Alec couldn’t tell, even though the sun had appeared again, it was too low to light up the ally much, so much of his facial expressions were hidden.

To his relief he saw Izzy reappear in the ally, “Alright. I got an address.”

“Where are we going?” Jace asked.

“High Warlock of Brooklyn.” She answered. “and you are coming with me.” She directed at Simon.

“Why don’t you take the mundane boy.” Alec directed at Jace.

“Can I not take the girl?” Jace looked at her again.

“No, I will take her, and you can take the boy.” Alec repeated. He took a step closer to his parabatai and whispered. “That’s Simon Lewis. I don’t want Izzy to find out.”

“I will take the boy.” Jace nodded.

“I’m right here.” Simon reminded them.

“We haven’t forgot.” Jace simply replied.

Alec picked up the girl, she was tiny. Jace’s jacket looked enormous on her. She had freckles, just like her mum in the pictures he had seen.

“Follow me then.” Isabelle stepped out of the ally. “We’ll have to take the subway. It’s about an hour.”

“An hour?!” Jace and Alec said in unity.

“He’s the best from what I was told. And we want the best, don’t we?” She reasoned. Alec sighed, he definitely wanted the best. Though an hour was a long time to kill and he wasn’t sure the girl would stay out of that long or if Izzy could keep her flirt under control.

The subway was jammed with people, which led to them being separated a bit. Clary needing to be carried was a little unhandy in such a crowded place. “She’s very drunk.” Isabelle had thrown out at every person starring at them.

“Why aren’t you taking us home?” Simon had objected at some point. “Or to a hospital.” He had asked that question several times before but they had just ignored it, it seemed harder to ignore on a subway surrounded by other mundanes. 

“We are going to a hospital, just a private one.” Jace finally commented.

“Private? You mean to tell me you guys are rich-rich? Cause, no offence, but you don’t look it. You kind of look like you are part of some grunge music band. Which is totally cool. I make music myself.”

“Shhhhh…” Jace directed at him. “Stop talking, nobody cares. And you are giving me a headache.”

“I care.” Izzy corrected him. “You never even told me your name.”

“It’s George.” Alec quickly stated.

“it’s not – “ Simon objected but Jace was making a sign with his finger that said, I will cut your throat.

“He prefers being called Georgie though.” Jace teased.

“You don’t look like a George” Isabelle decided. “Where are you from?”

“Born right here in New York.” He said. “Where are you from?”

“New York.” Alec answered. He was losing his temper. The girl was getting heavier and this idle chit-chat was too straining.

“You guys sound so British though.” Simon commented.

“Our parents are.” Jace answered. “Now that was enough chatting.” Jace was getting fed up with the boy and so was Alec. When they had to switch lines, he prompted Jace to just knock the boy out and Jace happily obliged.

As they followed Izzy, Alec had this weird sense that he had been here before. That he had seen these buildings before. They stood in front of a shabby looking apartment block that would appear to belong to the high warlock of Brooklyn and Alec knew, he just knew when the door was opened by a neighbour, they were supposed to be on the second floor. He just didn’t know how he knew. 

“We’re here.” Isabelle stopped on the second floor, it was the right door Alec guessed. And when Izzy knocked on that door, he shook his head in disbelief. Maybe he had been here before, when he was very little and he just didn’t remember it.

“What is even his name?” Alec asked as they were waiting for the door to be opened.

“Oh, Ma- “ The door opened and in front of it stood a tall man. His hair in spikes with glitter in it, a crop shirt on and very skinny pink jeans. The man appeared to look absolutely baffled, eyes wide open. Alec couldn’t blame him, three shadowhunters were in front of his door with unconscious people in their arms.

“We need your help.” Alec said. “I’m sorry if we are interrupting something, but it’s very important. We will pay you handsomely.”

The man just nodded, sighed and opened the door wider. “I guess you’d better come in then.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you to everyone reading. The story is a bit angsty for now but they are star crossed lovers after all. I hope you enjoy another chapter. Stay tuned for more.


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